Dont understand this one at all. Isnt climbing all about doing what you enjoy. I have climbed, boulders, sport, trad, all at varying difficulties and its part of what I love about the sport. I was lucky enough to be schooled by some very old school climbers.

I once got called a sport climber by some misinformed twit. I promptly informed him that I had climbed trad just as hard as I had sport at that time (30), and some f in hard scary shit in the uk also. Thats what I was into at the time - E7/8 trad nightmares, placing the gear. Now its what ever I feel like on the day or is convenient, that includes trad. Love it all!

On 27/01/2013 tor.lattimore wrote:>People who learn to climb at the Arapiles have it easy.
Why?

>No-where else can>you have such a fun day out, climbing so many pitches of grade 12 bliss>while learning to place gear. It's about as close to sport climbing as>you can get while placing gear.
That isnt necessarily an easy experience for numbties, though it helps heaps if they are mentored by an experienced traddie.

>Searching for 3-star trade routes with grade <= 15 on the Australian route>register leads to 10 climbs scattered around NSW (2 with the danger sign>and mostly single pitch). The same search in VIC leads to 19 routes, mostly>multi-pitch and within walking distance of each other.>>All of this leads to a huge divergence in skill level between trad and>sport climbing (because of the gym),
Duh?
That difference will always be there due to the nature of the genres involved. Gym is another minimal skill level genre that has nothing to do with commitment required to climb trad skilfully.

I could nt imagine not climbing trad.. It seems to be the natural way.. There seems to be fear attached to the style of trad climbing.. All that 'gear' .. Sport climbing offers those who can't start out under someone who's a bonafide trad climbing teacher .. Entry into climbing (outside) .. A sport climber offered up to me - an explanation why they sport climbed.. 'You start out in the low grades.. Thrutching and worrying about ledges, your poor gear placement and route finding.. With the reward being that u have to rearrange all that gear' ... I don't really follow the perspective.. But understand it.. And how to get more people into trad.. Well I've got no idea... But teaching, talking and sharing might be start?

I do mostly sport (up to 26), and lately getting back into Trad, trying to up my grades into 22-23, and its awesome, and has helped my composure and technique. My friends and partners are from Sydney, mid twenties and are not interested in Trad because it is too much fuss, its hard to naturally protect an overhanging cave with jugs, the walk in to some great locations is longer than 5 minutes, leaving no time to get home to party that night. Sport climbing at easily accesible blueies crags just seems to be the thing to do, and when work takes 5 days of the week, and social events, girls, etc. takes up weekend time, its a quick easy fix.

On 17/05/2013 rhysd85 wrote:>Sport climbing at easily accesible blueies crags just seems to be the thing>to do, and when work takes 5 days of the week, and social events, girls,>etc. takes up weekend time, its a quick easy fix.

I'd say that sport climbing is more popular in general where I'm from (the blueys). This means that when people get into climbing they tend to go out with someone else (who more likely climbs sport) and they learn on sport and get used to 'that' being climbing. And so it goes on. Also, a much cheaper investment as opposed to a full rack and then there's always those who want to go do a trad line but their partner is keen to get more routes in so sport prevails.
Personally I can see the appeal of sport. Seriously user friendly, cheaper and quicker, more bang for your buck time-wise and you get to really push your limit physically if you want without having concerns for dodgey placements. These are the reasons that come to mind in favour of sport, but in my view its only one way of climbing and leaves out a whole range of experiences that trad offers where sport doesn't. Strategy, knowing your limits, and knowing when it's safe to push them, mind over matter, being proficient with gear and systems, and of course cracks...
I think the whole which one is better debate is a bit of a waste of time. People can do what they want. People at piddo would hate it if everyone from Shipley and the glen suddenly rocked up screaming and talking grades, fast cars and hot Chics. It's only when Bolting trad lines comes into the equation that an issue arises. But lets not open that box yet again.
Besides, we all know we only climb outside at all so we can CRUSH at the gym on school nights!

>My friends and partners are from Sydney, mid twenties and>are not interested in Trad because it is too much fuss, (snip - basically takes up too much time) social events, girls,>etc. takes up weekend time, its a quick easy fix.

I'm so glad I never had to go sport climbing because trad climbing took too much time away from chasing boys